At highlander, clark continued her passion for adult education, and taught students and visitors from all over the south to read by reciting parts of the u. Septima poinsette clark, edwin augustus harleston, and thomas e. Historic boycotts, sitins, and more that changed civil. Clark s mother, victoria warren anderson poinsette, was born in charleston in 1870, and spent some of her coming of age years with relatives in haiti, where she received a. Septima poinsette clark was born in charleston, south carolina in 1898 to. When she was 18, clark started her career as a school teacher in a one room schoolhouse. Exploring the history of freedom schools civil rights. Septima clark became a teacher in south carolina public schools at the age of 18. How septima poinsette clark spoke up for civil rights the daughter of a slave, septima clark graduated from college, became a teacher, and became a fierce advocate for social and cultural change.
Listed below and in the sidebar, youll find profiles of some of the people involved in the movement. Septima poinsette clark and jacquelyn hall, conducted by. Handwritten note by septima clark and letter to carolyn collins. Clark once wrote in 1965, the greatest evil in our country today is not racism, but ignorance. Clark developed the literacy and citizenship workshops that played an important role in the drive for voting rights and civil rights for african americans in the civil rights movement. Septima poinsette clark was born just as the prejudicial jim crow codes of the south were being solidified, two years after the 1896 plessy v. The sclc sponsored programs such as citizenship schools as established by septima clark, the albany movement, selma voting rights march, and the birmingham campaign. Septima poinsette clark, innovative teacher and devout freedom fighter herb boyd 6282018, midnight septima poinsette clark contributed when. This black history month, tip your hat to the women who rallied and led the civil rights movement. Septima clark was another prominent woman in the civil rights movement.
The woman who schooled the civil rights movement a color illustration of educator and civil rights activist septima clark 18981987 by jason whitley. Clark was born the second of eight children in charleston, south carolina, to peter poinsette, a former slave, and his wife victoria warren anderson, a laundress. Examples of in a sentence how septima poinsette clark spoke up for civil rights. Septima poinsette clark was a civil rights activist born in charleston, south carolina in 1898. More than 60,000 vehicles per day use the portion of u. It was a poor kind of place, most people earning their living by picking cabbage from morning to night. Clark s charleston click here for interactive map and tour locations septima p. Organizations of the civil rights movement share flipboard email.
Sncc staff, local people, mentors, and allies who put their lives on the line organizing for selfdetermination and democracy. But it was her work as the lead software engineer for nasas. Septima poinsette clark freedoms teacher perhaps the greatest teachers of the civil rights, septima made a name for herself as a teacher at the highlander folk school. Clark took up the struggle in the form of social action alongside the naacp. Septima clark was an activist, educator, devout christian and feminist.
Septima poinsette clark may 3, 1898 december 15, 1987 was a black american educator and civil rights activist. Septima poinsette clark, innovative teacher and devout. Septima clark sncc digital gateway sncc digital gateway. Avery photo collection, 109, courtesy of the avery research center.
Septima clark and the civil rights movement 83 copy quote what we are working for is an educational program that has become a resource and rallying point for scores of brave southerners who are leading the fight for. Septima clark and the civil rights movement 83 copy quote what we are working for is an educational program that has become a resource and rallying point for scores of brave southerners who are leading the fight for justice and better race relations in these crucial days. Septima poinsette clark was a teacher and civil rights activist whose citizenship schools helped enfranchise and empower african americans. Septima clark and the civil rights movement awp ed by clark, septima poinsette, brown, cynthia stokes isbn. They were successful and in 1920 a law passed allowing blacks to work in the public school system. Clark s personal history as a black charlestonian, and her experiences as a twentieth century civil rights educator and activist, offers ample opportunity to link her biography to a more comprehensive history of charleston. Clark was born in charleston, south carolina in 1898, daughter of a laundrywoman and a former slave. Septima clark, civil rights activist, developed the concept of citizenship.
These schools helped regular people learn how to instruct others in their. Septima clark was a teacher and citizens education director for the highlander folk school and southern christian leadership conference. South carolina special women in south carolina history. She became a teacher on johns island, leader of workshops at highlander folk school in tennessee, and founder of citizenship schools throughout the south. Septima poinsette clark, nee septima poinsette, born may 3, 1898. Septima poinsette clark was regarded as the queen of the civil rights movement. Clark developed the literacy and citizenship workshops that played an important role in the drive for voting rights and civil rights for african americans in.
Click on the bubbles to view more information about the event. Diane nash is an africanamerican civil rights activist and freedom rider whose campaigns during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Handwritten note by septima clark and letter to carolyn. Click on a name to learn more about that person and their relationship to the movement.
Septima poinsette clark septima poinsette clark may 3, 1898 december 15, 1987 was a black american educator and civil rights activist. Septima clark resources black history web grow purpose inc. She was then hired by myles horton at the highlander folk school in tennessee. Septima clark petitions on behalf of black educators.
The freedom schools of the 1960s were part of a long line of efforts to liberate people from oppression using the tool of popular education, including secret schools in the 18th and 19th centuries for enslaved africans. Septima poinsette clark is perhaps the only woman to play a significant role in educating african americans for full citizenship rights without gaining sufficient recognition. Her own experience of racial discrimination fueled her pursuit of racial equality and her commitment to strengthen the africanamerican community through literacy and citizenship. Septima poinsette clark was a civil rights activist born in charleston, south. Literacy means liberation, she stressed knowing that education was key to gaining political, economic, and social power. Septima poinsette clark biography, life, interesting facts.
Septima clark was a teacher and leader in the education realm. In 1956 septima clark, our director of education, and esau jenkins, a bus driver on johns island, near charleston, south carolina, started coming to highlander and bringing some neighbors with them. Miller campaigned for the employment of blacks in charlestons public schools. Hired by myles horton, clark became director of workshops at the highlander folk school in tennessee. Citizenship schools were based on the adult literacy programs clark and. She and her family struggled to pay for a high school education, and she graduated from avery normal institute in 1916. In that decision, the court found no violation of the. A pioneer in grassroots citizenship education, septima clark was called the mother of the civil rights movement by martin luther king. Clark designed educational programs to teach african american. Carol connor elected in 1988 to the sc circuit court, judge connor was as the first woman to serve as an acting member of the south carolina supreme court. Septima clark public charter school for boys facebook. Septima clark public charter school for boys, washington, dc.
Born in charleston, south carolina in 1898, her father was a former slave and her mother, although born in charleston, was raised in haiti. Septima poinsette clark american educator and civil rights. The septima clark public charter school is the first public. Septima poinsette clark pioneered the link between education and political. Septima, the second of eight children, attended the avery institute and completed the teacher training program in 1916. She helped many people become educated as well as giving.
Survey of collections and repositories septima poinsette clark papers. Septima poinsette clark timeline timetoast timelines. Poinsette, and his future wife, lucille mears, mid1920s, septima p. Clark developed the literacy and citizenship workshops that played an important role in the drive for voting rights and civil rights for african americans in the american civil rights movement. Septima clark biography, timeline, chronology, septima. Clark was developing a grassroots citizenship education program that used. Contains personal papers, records, correspondence, photographs interviews and discussions, numerous writings for speeches andor publication, various honorary degrees and awards, and materials reflecting clark. Septima poinsette clark american educator and civil. In this interview, she spoke about many people that she worked with during the movement, including ella baker, whom she had met at the highlander folk school. The 3rd of may 1898 brought about the birth of one of the worlds greatest leaders of her time septima poinsette clark. The life of septima clark read more about one of south carolinas most important heroines. Clark soon was directing highlanders citizenship school program. Septima clark s work was commonly under appreciated by southern male activists.
It is vital that this route remains an efficient lifeline for emergency response vehicles, commuters, and those evacuating the city in. She also worked with the south carolina council on human relations, ywca, and american friends service committee. How septima poinsette clark spoke up for civil rights. She, like ella baker, worked with many of the central groups and leaders. Septima clark was an educator and activist who made enormous contributions to the civil rights movement. Highlander and citizenship schools civil rights women. Clark papers, courtesy of the avery research center. Septima poinsette clark waged a personal war against racism. Septima poinsette clark south carolina african american history.
Septima clark was fired from her teaching job in charleston after refusing to denounce her membership with the naacp. Septima poinsette clark papers the civil rights history. Septima poinsette clark pioneered the link between education and political organizing, especially political organizing aimed at gaining the right to vote. She attended the avery normal institute and graduated in 1916. Septima poinsette clark may 3, 1898 december 15, 1987 was a black american educator. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Rosa parks, who has been called the mother of the civil rights movement, well remembers the first time she met septima clark. Because south carolina state law prevented african americans from teaching in the charleston public school system, clark took a teaching position at an all black rural school on johns island. Septima poinsette clark civil rights activist biography. The highlander folk school when septima clark lost her teaching job in charleston, she left south carolina to work at the highlander folk school in tennessee.